The Warmest of Welcomes
First of all—you have to understand—as an innkeeper, I met a lot of people. In the summer, we would host about 30 people daily on their vacations, and sometimes it could be difficult to remember who was who. Granted, we did have an unusually high return customer rate, and making friends, connecting with people, was what I believed my job was all about. This tale is about someone I got to know very well, extra-quick, and I don’t think we will ever forget each other.
I was in my early 30s and it was the first single summer of my adult life. I was ready to let loose and have a good time. After spending 15 years in a very bad and controlling relationship, I wasn’t on the hunt for anything serious. I just wanted to have a good time, and experiment with as many new guys as I could. I was resolved: I had to make up for a lot of lost time and opportunities.
It was beautiful summer night and I was finishing up work soon. I was just waiting for my last guests to arrive so my own adventures could begin. I was shopping on Grindr for the evening’s entertainment, and the menu was providing many tempting options. I started chatting with a very attractive guy who had messaged me about this being his last night of vacation. I thought, “Perfect! He will be heading out early, I can get some sleep, and I won’t have to deal with any feelings in the morning when I introduce him to the door.”
He wasn’t interested in long conversations or spending hours discussing everything that could happen once we met. He was looking for a quick decision and a friend with whom he could have some fun on his last night. We traded a few pics back and forth and both decided we were on board. He said he wasn’t too far away, and that it wouldn’t take very long for him to get ready. I agreed and gave him my address.
I hopped in our outdoor shower to freshen up. Then, I figured I’d better straighten up my apartment and get things ready, so I headed into the house. When I got into the living room/lobby, I was completely taken by surprise—there he was! He already had arrived and was waiting for me. He was very attractive, and I remember thinking, “wow those pictures didn’t do him justice….” He gave me a big smile, and I immediately felt warm and comfortable. I smiled right back and excitedly grabbed him by his hand.
In retrospect, I feel like I basically dragged him into my apartment. I pulled him real close and started to kiss him. I reached down to ummm...help him with his belt, and all of a sudden, in a panicked sort of way, he said with a French accent, “Sir, sir, sir! Excuse me—but is this normally the check-in process!?”
I was instantly mortified. I had mistaken the guy online with the last guest whose arrival I’d been awaiting! I stood frozen, very unsure of how I was going to get myself out of this embarrassing mess. Then he said, “Well, it’s okay, I like it. I just want to ask two questions first. Where should we park the car, and can I get my boyfriend? He would probably very much like to participate.”
We went outside, I met the very nice and handsome boyfriend who was patiently waiting in the car, and I got them unloaded and parked. I am pretty sure I was beet red during the entire check-in process. I was so embarrassed. When we got to their room, Pierre took the reins and began where I had left off in my apartment. We had a wonderful time and quickly became close friends. I learned—of all jobs!—he just happened to be a sex therapist in Canada.
The online guy I was supposed to meet was (ooops!) totally forgotten. It was clear the next day, when I was reading his messages, he was not very happy about it.
Pierre and Jacques have become good friends, and we still laugh to this day about their first visit to Rehoboth. I feel like it was a job well done on my part: they tell me Rehoboth was the most welcoming city they have ever visited. ▼
Tom Kelch is a former Rehoboth Beach innkeeper who enjoys sharing his stories with Letters’ readers.